Central and southern Israel slammed by rockets, interceptions over Tel Aviv area

By JPOST.COM STAFF,YAAKOV LAPPIN07/17/2014

More than fifty rockets from the Gaza Strip fired at Israel since the five hour cease-fire expired at 3 p.m.

Code Red rocket alert sirens sounded across the South, in the Tel Aviv area, and in the Sharon region hours after the UN humanitarian cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came to an end on Thursday.

More than 50 rockets from the Gaza Strip have been fired at Israel since the five hour cease-fire expired at 3 p.m. Israel recognized its most quiet period since Operation Protective Edge began last week during the cease-fire, which was only interrupted once at noon by three mortar shells fired on the Eshkol Regional Council.

On Thursday evening just before 6 p.m., sirens wailed in Petah Tikva, Kfar Saba, and in the area of Ben Gurion International Airport. No siren sounded in Tel Aviv, but the explosions from the Iron Dome rocket-defense system shooting down projectiles were audible in the city.

According to the IDF, two rockets were intercepted over the greater Tel Aviv area. An additional rocket fired at Ashdod was also shot down by the Iron Dome.

A rocket fired at the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council caused damaged to a house and one person suffered minor injuries in an attack. In the Eshkol Regional Council, which borders Gaza, 11 rockets fell in the Thursday evening barrage. 13 rockets have been intercepted over the Ashkelon area, according to the IDF.

The Shfela region was also heavily targeted just before 7 p.m., with the Iron Dome intercepting six rockets.

Earlier on Thursday, terrorists in Gaza launched projectiles toward Ashkelon at 3 p.m. exactly, as the cease-fire came to an end.

The five-hour halt was requested by the United Nations to allow residents of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip to gather supplies and repair some of the infrastructure damaged on the tenth day of fighting.

Before the humanitarian cease-fire went into effect, terrorists in the Palestinian territory launched rockets at the greater Tel Aviv area and communities in southern Israel.

Two rockets were intercepted, one above the greater Tel Aviv area, and one above the Sharon. An additional rocket fell in open territory.

Reports emerged Thursday that a cease-fire had been agreed upon by Israel and Hamas to put an end to the week-and-a-half of hostilities, beginning Friday at 6 a.m., however Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Hamas denied the reports.